


Fire and Ice

by pocketfullofreceipts



Category: Anne with an E (TV)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-21
Updated: 2019-11-21
Packaged: 2021-02-25 23:53:55
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,925
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21514102
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pocketfullofreceipts/pseuds/pocketfullofreceipts
Summary: As Gilbert prepares to propose to Miss Rose, Diana gives him perspective. And a ton of sass.
Relationships: Gilbert Blythe/Anne Shirley
Comments: 14
Kudos: 330





	1. Dinner at the Barrys

Gilbert shifted in his coat as he sat down to eat. The Barry's had invited him and Bash to dinner to celebrate his new engagement. The only problem was -

"You're not yet engaged?" Mr. Barry looked a little incredulous.

Gilbert shook his head, "Not yet. I had gone to see her yesterday, but it wasn't the right time."

He was glad no one asked why it wasn't the right time because Gilbert himself couldn't have given an adequate answer. All he knew is that when he was greeted with Winnie's luminous smile and was invited inside, everything felt wrong. Her large house felt suffocating and when he tried to alleviate the pressure by suggesting a walk, he found he longed for open pastures and tall trees rather than the storefronts and busy streets of Charlottetown. Although he would deny it to Bash, he also couldn't help but think of his preference for auburn, windblown hair compared to the blonde, tight curls that had been before him.

Mrs. Barry inquired when he expected he would propose and Gilbert gave a noncommittal shrug and tried to give his best estimate. It was hard to focus when he could feel Diana seething across the table from him, pointedly not looking in his direction. She laughed at Bash's jokes and asked him questions about Delly, but whenever _Gilbert_ tried to talk to her, she found a way to change the subject without ever addressing him. For the life of him, he could not understand what he may have done to offend her or if he was imagining the whole thing.

"Well I have to say that I am thrilled for you," Mr. Barry began. "You will have so many advantages and Miss Rose is lovely."

"Yes, Paris is just lovely. And Diana will be there too." Mrs. Barry added, turning to her eldest daughter. "You've been so upset about leaving your friends here, but you will know two people in Paris now - Gilbert and Miss Rose. Isn't this all such wonderful news?"

For the first time all night, Diana's eyes snapped to Gilbert's and he knew for sure that he had not imagined anything. She was pissed. Try as he might, he couldn't help compare her to the one girl he had been trying to get out of his head since the Queens exam. To be fair, many of Gilbert's memories had been of Anne being heated with him. The phrase that came to mind at this moment was fire and ice. Anne blazed on in her anger, which could last forever if it was fanned or be put out suddenly as if it was doused with water. Diana's fury was cold and restrained, but no less frightening. He couldn't decide if the two friends were complete opposites or perfect complements.

She gave a strained smile, "Yes, I have not yet congratulated you on your most _advantageous_ match. Best wishes to you."

Gilbert realized for the first time that while Anne was a master with words, Diana was unmatched in the subtleties of tone. She could turn fairly innocent words, words that her father had used only moments ago, into egregious swear words. Behind her passive face was a voice dripping with disgust and from the shocked look on Bash and the Barrys’ faces, he was not the only one who noticed. The only one who did not look the least surprised was Minnie May, who put her elbows on the table and flashed a giant grin. 

"Diana!" her mother hissed.

Diana looked at her mother, feigning confusion. Mrs. Barry turned to her guests, "What she meant was -"

"Oh, everyone knows what she meant," Minnie May mumbled and she leaned back in her chair and put her feet up on the table, clearly loving the drama.

"Minnie May, feet off! You are getting dirt all over the table. Diana, will you take Minnie May and get something to clean this off?" The table still looked pristine, but it was clear that Mrs. Barry was trying to get rid of both sources of her oncoming headache as quickly as possible.

As soon as the Barry girls left the room, Gilbert excused himself to use the restroom, exchange bewildered glances with Bash before leaving the room. He softly called after Diana in the hallway and she stiffened but kept walking with Minnie May as if he hadn’t spoken at all.

"Diana!" he whispered again, loudly this time.

Diana pushed Minnie May into the sitting room and turned around slowly, "What do you want, Mr. Blythe?"

"Did I do something to you?" Gilbert asked. Diana remained stoic and didn't respond. "I mean, I'm sorry if I upset you in any way but I do think I have a right to know," he continued.

Diana's face clouded and she let out a slow breath. She began angrily whispering, "How can you be so idiotic and self-centered that you do not know what you did? And you have the audacity to say that you think you have a right to know?” She clenched her fists, “Where was your sense of decency, this desire to share when it came to Anne?"

Gilbert shook his head, "What are you talking about? What does this have to do with Anne?"

"Everything!" she exclaimed. "She wrote you a heartfelt note and you don't even acknowledge it. Never mind that you crushed her heart on your way to Charlottetown, now you just pretend everything's fine and that you haven't become the most despicable person I know." She considered for a moment. "Billy excluded."

"I don't have a clue what you're going on about. Anne never gave me a note. " Gilbert’s mind raced, trying to understand what could have happened to this mysterious note and what it had to do with Charlottetown. That gave him pause. "How could I crush Anne's heart? She already told me it would never be mine."

This time Diana shook her head, a disapproving glare on her face. "If you're going to be a doctor, you'll need to wise up."

A tiny part of Gilbert couldn't help but bloom with hope, even as he tried to tamper it down. His mind raced. It didn't seem possible, but it was the only explanation for Diana’s reaction. Gilbert felt his spirits rising and had to confirm his conclusion before he could be let down again, “What did the note say?”

"That's not my place to say,” Diana responded in a clipped tone. “Why does it even matter? You preparing to propose to another woman."

"Well - that is- I mean, I am but I don't know if I -" Gilbert glanced down, fiddling with his sleeve.

"You're a coward."

Gilbert looked up, shocked. He opened his mouth to speak, but no words would come out.

"What? If Anne won't marry you, you'll give Winnie a try?” Diana raised an eyebrow.

Gilbert stayed motionless and slack-jawed.

Diana rolled her eyes. _Men. They think they have a God-given right to be in charge of everything and make the decisions, but cannot see what is clearly in front of their faces._

“You cannot honestly say that you love Winnie and that in itself makes it wrong for you to bind yourself in matrimony to her. Worse still, you're using her for her money and connections. I have never met her, but I do know that no one deserves that. You don't deserve either of them."

Feeling defensive, Gilbert started. “I’m not some opportunistic cad, I genuinely like Winnie.” He fidgeted with his sleeve again and sighed. “But you’re not wrong. I don’t love her.”

Gilbert leaned against the wall and raked his hand through his hair, “What am I doing? How did I get to this point?”

For the first time all night, Diana felt pity for him. "Look, I'm not happy with this mess that you've gotten yourself into but I've been there. Used someone because they had something I thought I couldn't get on my own.” She moved to stand in front of him and crossed her arms. “But all that stuff, it isn’t worth anything if it is not on your own terms. I didn’t conduct myself well in my… situation, but I hope you do. I hope you do what is right.”


	2. Coming Home

Anne sat by the porch, picking and tearing at the grass surrounding her. Marilla had tried to get her to stop, but felt sorry enough for her that she let it go eventually. If Anne went to her room, there was nothing stopping her from crying, but she couldn’t force herself out of her daze enough to be of any use around Green Gables.

Gilbert was getting married. To someone else. Worse still, he completely ignored her when she told him she loved him. It was if she wasn’t someone whose feelings were worth considering. Maybe he was embarrassed that a miserable redheaded orphan such as herself could presume to love and be loved by him. But she could have sworn that he was on the precipice of expressing something great and terrifying by the fire that night. 

_Just one thing._ What could that one thing be, if not her? What else could he have been trying to say? Anne viciously tore at the green stalks, imagining it to be his head at the wrong end of the guillotine. If only the boy had any ability to communicate with his words instead of his eyebrows. She groaned and flopped down on her back.

Anne was frustrated with herself almost as much as Gilbert. She had imagined that the mourning period of such a tragical romance to be much more glamorous and well, romantic. This felt dull and lifeless, like she wasn’t a whole person anymore when she knew well that she was. She’d just have to find a way to occupy her mind until he was a distant memory. That’s what Diana had told her.

Her eyes focused in on the stars above her and she tried to appreciate how luminously they glowed against the black night. Soon Marilla would lose patience with her and make her go to bed. Matthew had turned in long ago.

Lost in thought, Anne only heard the faint crunch of the grass when it was right next to her. She paused, trying to work out how Marilla could be coming towards their home. Suddenly she saw a tanned face appear above her and let out a yelp, scrambling to her feet.

“I’m sorry to startle you! I thought you would have heard the gate.” Gilbert reached out for her, trying to help her upright but Anne pulled away.

“I’m fine! I’m fine!” Anne all but shouted. Then more quietly, “What are you doing here?”

He looked at her closely and it hurt. It hurt to have him so near when he was promised to someone else. It hurt how beautiful his eyes were, how he was staring at her like she was precious and wanted. 

“I’m sorry it’s so late. I didn’t think I would even see you tonight.” Gilbert gazed at her. “I just found myself walking here.”

Anne looked at him expectantly and set her jaw, trying to channel dignity and composure in the face of this massive blow to her heart and ego. If he had finally summoned the nerve to turn her down then he would have to do it on his own with no help from her.

“Anne, I don’t know what I’m doing,” he continued. Anne almost let out a snort. _I’ll say._ “I don’t know how I let this all get so far along. I – “ he stopped and closed his eyes.

_Here it comes._

“I ended my relationship with Winnie today.’

Anne felt like her heart might stop. She couldn’t make sense of this and was aghast. “You proposed to her and broke up with her within a three day period?”

“No!” Gilbert’s eyes were wide and desperate. “No, I never proposed. I couldn’t do it. Her father offered me everything I have ever wanted on a platter and I found it lacking.”

Gilbert looked incredibly nervous. His eyebrows were nearly acrobatic and he kept motioning with his hands as he tried to get his next words out. He finally smiled softly. “None of it matters if I don’t have… you.”

With that one sentence, all the breath was knocked out of Anne. She gaped at him, feeling rather like a fish out of water and tried to grasp what he had just said. As the seconds ticked by and Anne didn’t say a word, Gilbert’s smile was replaced with a look of horror.

“Not that I mean that I could ever “have you” as in own you! Or that I would follow you around until you accept me. Obviously I will respect your wishes, Anne. I just mean that –“ Anne silenced him by gently placing two fingers against his lips. 

“Gilbert,” she said so softly it was almost a whisper. She couldn’t believe it. She was more important to him than a fancy education, a life of comfort, or beautiful honey hair. She felt like she could laugh, cry, shout, and throw up all at the same time. “What took you so long?”

Gilbert gulped and her eyes went to his throat. She looked up again at his face and he had such a tender look on his face, she started to tear up. He reached for her fingers that were still resting lightly against his face and held her hand in his. “I didn’t know.” 

He hesitated then kissed her hand. “I don’t believe that I ever could have married Winnie.” Anne grew tense at her name, but he continued. “I was putting it off and trying to find reasons why I should wait. It wasn’t until Diana gave me a good kick in the rear that I realized why.” 

“Diana!” Anne nearly laughed at the image. “What does my dearest friend have to do with this?”

“I never saw your note, Anne.” Anne looked up at him in surprise and her eyebrows furrowed. He stroked the back of her hand with his thumb and squeezed it. “She refused to tell me the contents, but she impressed upon me it’s importance.” 

He rubbed his hand on the back of his neck. “She also gave me quite the dressing down.”

This time, Anne did laugh. “I hardly believe it. What about?”

“I promise to tell you all about it later. I just need you to know that I love you and I’ll do everything I can to make up for any hurt I’ve caused.” 

Anne couldn’t stop the splitting grin from coming across her face no more than Gilbert could do the same. She felt rather shy for a moment, but pushed through, rose up tall and put her arms around his neck. “I love you too, Gilbert Blythe.”

Gilbert was so delighted he started laughing and lifted her up and spun her around. As they twirled together, Anne laughed as well and marveled at how she could feel so dizzy and breathless and light in the most wondrous way. Tomorrow perhaps she would tell him off for leading on poor Winnie, but for now all she could do was wonder that no story she read had prepared her for this. She had never felt quite so magnificent in her entire life.

That is until Gilbert put her back on the ground, held her in his arms, and kissed her square on her lips. Then she decided that was the most magnificent feeling she ever had.

\------------------

From inside the house Matthew stumbled out of his room, wearing his pajamas and his hair sticking up even more than usual. “What are you going on about, Marilla?”

Marilla shushed him and pulled him to the window. “Just look.”

Outside Anne and Gilbert were smiling widely at each other before Gilbert picked Anne clear off the ground and spun around. The siblings smiled at the kids’ laughter, but Matthew was not quite caught up. “How is this happening? Isn’t he marrying that Charlottetown woman?”

“He broke it off with her and apparently never proposed in the first place. It seems Diana set him straight, the dear, sensible girl.” Marilla clasped her hands together, soaking in the couple’s joy.

Matthew scratched his head, staring out the window and murmured, “Never thought I’d live to see it.” Then he gave Marilla a sly smile, one that only she had ever really seen. “Why Marilla Cuthbert, have you been spying?”

“Absolutely not!” Marilla snapped and turned to her brother. “Anne is under our care and we must keep watch. I was merely chaperoning. Without her knowledge.”

“Then how do you feel about that, Miss Chaperone,” Matthew pointed outside and Marilla followed his gaze to see Gilbert give Anne a chaste kiss.

“Well, there are young. I suppose we can let them enjoy this moment.” Marilla was feeling mighty generous until Gilbert and Anne kissed again and again. And again. “Dear Lord, trust that girl to test my limits! Matthew, go outside and break it up.”

“Absolutely not.”

“I can’t go when I’m dressed like this,” Marilla gestured to her sleeping braid and nightgown, but Matthew shrugged and backed away.

“Do I have to do everything around here?” Marilla pinned her hair up and marched outside.

Matthew watched Anne and Gilbert turn bright pink and separate immediately as Marilla scolded the two. Despite it all, he couldn’t help but think to himself that they were going to be alright.


End file.
